


Tanabata Cranes For Midorima's Birthday

by Qem



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Cranes, Gen, Remix, Tanabata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-15 00:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2208933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qem/pseuds/Qem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a lot of effort that goes into folding 1000 cranes, it's certainly worth congratulating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tanabata Cranes For Midorima's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [unresponding](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unresponding/gifts).
  * Inspired by [basketballpoetsociety-challenge-79-tanabata](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/70089) by unresponding. 



> Remix of Lici's 1000 cranes celebration, for challenge 79 - Tanabata - "Midorima Shintarou’s birthday falls on the 7th day of the 7th month - traditionally the time of year when the Tanabata or Qixi Festival is celebrated. As a special project for Midorima’s birthday, for the next two weeks we are inviting all Midorima fans to submit paper cranes in order to fold a virtual senbazuru - a collective set of a thousand cranes. "

“Whatcha doing Shin-chan?” Takao can’t help but ask idly, as he sees Midorima, carefully crease the green paper, while their waiting for the coach's announcement and their practice to be able to properly start.  
“Practicing self-discipline.” Is Midorima’s short answer.  
But of course.  
  
**Midorima:**  
Carefully, painstakingly, you make three-four cranes a day. The process is comforting, as is the idea that through persistence your wish will come through. You work hard to achieve your goals, and this is just a little extra. Harmless really. It helps build dexterity, and works to calm and refresh your mind at the end of the day. You've carefully planned it out so that you'll reach a thousand in a year - and now that it's close to your birthday it feels good to be so close to you goal.  
  
A misplaced lucky item, a freak accident, a smashed jar and a river of water. No matter. It was an unimportant goal, you'll aim for the new year instead. But you think you'll stop making cranes for just a little while.  
  
_Cranes: 921 - 500_  
  
**Kuroko:**  
  
Kuroko looks up from the text message that he’s just received.  
“Kagami-kun do you know how to make paper cranes?”  
“Kind of…” Kagami says warily. He’d learned to make them as part of an arts class in elementary, and he’s pretty sure he still has the knack.  
  
_Cranes: 421 + 6_  
  
**Kise:**  
“But of course, I can use my perfect copy talents to copy anything! I will make lots of cranes just for… Midorimachi of course.” Kise says cheerfully, practically sparkling down the phone.  
  
He very carefully does not send the original attempts onwards.  
Cranes: 427 + 18 - 6  
  
**Aomine:**  
Cranes are boring. Why not make frogs instead? They suit that guy better after all and are more fun to make. Hell you can even make them bounce. Aomine finds himself distracted by forming a small army and then seeing if he can make them land in the “frog pool” - his now empty rice bowl.  
  
Unfortunately Momoi then has to go spoil his fun, like she usually does. “Dai-chan don't be lazy. We’re working on a gift for Midorima-kun. It’s not about you.”  
  
Bah, it’s easy enough. to make a few - cheaper than getting hold of a proper gift.  
  
_Cranes: 439 + 169 + 8 frogs._  
  
**Kuroko:**  
“I seriously do not understand how you keep getting away with doing this in class.” Kagami can’t help but observe, when he looks at the small pile growing on Kuroko’s desk.  
  
_Cranes: 608 + 49 + 8 frogs_  
  
**Momoi:**  
Sometimes Momoi is a little jealous of the way Dai-chan’s hands are able to deftly take on all kinds of challenges. She’s always finding herself a little klutzy, her fingers just a little to thick though objectively their slimmer than Dai-chan’s. She still has the delicate paper she purchased with a thought to make herself a pair of cranes to attach to earring clips - but has always put off. Carefully, she starts practicing with the larger paper, practices, over and over again. Dai-chan’s shown her how, and though some come out rougher than others, she think’s she has the process down pat. Now she starts with the nicer paper, it’s smaller and more delicate. Harder to pull into shape but but each piece has it’s edges more crisp and turns out more satisfying. Still the last two cranes - she thinks she’ll keep for herself. Midorin won’t mind after all.  
  
_Cranes: 657 + (35*1) + (12*1)  - 2 + 8 frogs_  
  
**Kise:**  
“Really? Aomine made how many?”  
  
_Cranes: 702 + 172 cranes + 8 frogs._  
  
**Kuroko:**  
“It doesn’t appear to want to fly, Kagami-kun.”  
“That’s because you’re skipping some of the final steps - you need to reverse and fold it again.” Kagami patiently explains and demonstrated again.  
  
_Cranes: 874 + 5 + 8 frogs._  
  
**Murasakibara:**  
When Mine-chin calls him up with the request, he has a wrapper in his hands, and idly folds it with the familiar folds. “Hmm. I guess I could make a few.” he says ever so slowly. Muro-chin’s said that he should take more care with his rubbish, and this certainly counts as taking care. He can even use the bag to hold the cranes after.  
Besides the bright wrappers look quite cute in bird like forms - cute enough that he feels like eating some more to make it.  
  
Alas, Muro-chin doesn’t quite agree that it’s an appropriate gift idea and forces him to use proper paper to make some. Bah. Boring.  
  
_Cranes: 879 + 24 + 12 + 36 + 25 + 8 frogs_  
  
**Akashi:**  
Have edges touch as you fold carefully, sharpening the creases. Precision, perfection, satisfaction at a job accomplished and well done. It’s hand made by yourself of course, it wouldn’t be worth while offloading to another person. Still, there are various factors at hand, what would be an elegant number, compared to an appropriate one? You purchase 8 sets of origami paper, whatever you have made in week ahead - you’ll send on in a suitable jar.  
  
With 8 sets of 35, you've now made 280 more to complete the jar that you’ll use to ship to Kuroko. A courier is carefully arranged to deliver to Kuroko's door. You have faith Kuroko will be able to finish the process, even if his own folding skills are abysmal.  
  
_Cranes: 976 + (35 * 8) + 8 frogs_  
  
**Kuroko:**  
  
“You really aren’t any good at this are you?” Kagami observes while watching Kuroko stubbornly struggles with the paper.  
“I feel like I need to out do Aomine-kun at least with my efforts.”  
“Fine, fine, here I’ll help you some more.”  
  
_Cranes: 1316 + 105 + 8 frogs_  
  
**Midorima:**  
Effort counts for more than physical objects, so you finished making the final 79 it would have taken to complete your goal the day before your birthday. You’re not sure how that affects your emotions on your actual birthday, although you’re fairly certain that it does.  
  
They’re noisy and exuberant, and clearly looking more for their own enjoyment as they say their taunts and well wishes down the lines. You’re not entirely sure all of the ones Murasakibara have sent you are hygienic really. But. You can’t help but feel a little touched and when you go home you take the effort to hook them to strings and hang them off your walls. Except the candy wrapper ones. Those can stay in their jar.  
  
_Cranes: 1500 (+500 in spirit) + 8 frogs_  
  
**Omake:**  
  
Takao can’t help but laugh lightly when he enters Midorima’s room - there’s strings of colour birds every which way - it's expected and yet not, like the lucky items that he takes with him each day. “I guess I should say congrats Shin-chan on reaching 1000 cranes.” Then adds as an after thought. “Did your wish come true?”  
  
"That's not the point of completing 1000 cranes." Midorima intones at him, but Takao's pretty sure his eyes caught that fleeting flash of emotion.  
Hahaha, that's as good as a confession as it gets from Shin-chan. Takao's pretty sure from that reaction that Midorima's wish did come true. Not that, that tsundere, will ever admit it, but that's Shin-chan for you.  
  



End file.
